Happy Washington's Birthday (Four Days Early)

Happy Washington's Birthday, as the federal holiday that was established for this day by law is officially known (and not so-called 'President's Day,' thank you very much), and which this year falls four days ahead of George Washington's actual birthday on February 22.

The federal government does not commemorate the birthday of our first President on the anniversary of his birth because Congress, back in 1968, fixed most federal holidays on Mondays. They did that in order to increase government efficiency create three-day weekends and reduce administrative expenses inspire government employees to take leave on Federal Fridays.

Okay. I appreciate having a Monday off as much as the next federal worker. But I still plan to commemorate the occasion with a cannon salute on the 22nd, the way Americans did it back in the day. I would go totally Old School and add a bonfire and fire works, except that would be asking too much of the watered-down modern day patriotism of my local Fairfax County authorities.